Birds
Why do birds sing in the morning?
The dawn chorus is a beautiful sound but why does it take place in the morning?
First puffins spotted back on the Farne Islands after spending the winter 'rafting' at sea
The puffins have arrived in perfect time, as visitors are welcomed back to Inner Farne in the 28-island archipelago this month
Birding world in shock as starlings heard mimicking Oasis' Wonderwall in Manchester
Experts believe the birds have picked up the famous pop song in the city centre, where it is played relentlessly by buskers.
This prehistoric-looking animal was once extinct in Britain – now it's making an astonishing comeback
Britain's bittern population is booming, with a record-breaking year in 2024, according to a new report by Natural England and the RSPB.
World's fastest predator attacks huge flock of starlings in Cheshire
Dramatic video footage shows the moment a stunning murmuration is disrupted by a hunting bird of prey.
Best bird box cameras for wildlife watching in 2025
BBC Countryfile Magazine's guide to the best bird box cameras to use this nesting season.
The elusive 'phantom of the forest' is expanding its range – scientists tracked 29 of them to find out more
There are now more than 1,200 pairs of goshawks in the UK. As their slow recovery continues, could we see this majestic bird of prey nesting in city parks, as they do in other European countries?
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British seabirds: how to identify and where to see
Our guide explores some of the UK's most common types of seabird, where they live and the best places to see them.
Heron vs Egret: how to spot the difference between these two (very similar) leggy, graceful birds with elongated necks
These elegant waders seem almost identical, but a few fundamental differences stand out between the grey heron and its white-feathered relatives, the egrets
It guzzles rats head-first and stabs its prey to death: Here's why the grey heron is king of the river
Stationary and silent, waiting for prey, the heron has become an increasingly common sight at the water’s edge. Mark Hillsdon explores this elegant hunter’s world
Raven vs crow: what's the difference between these birds and how can you tell them apart?
Do you know the difference between a carrion crow and a raven? Fergus Collins explains the difference between these similar-looking birds.
How do birds stay warm during winter? Discover the amazing secrets of feathers and how they keep birds toasty whatever the weather
Bestowing the gifts of flight and warmth, enabling birds to survive the frozen months, feathers are a marvel of nature. How do these amazing appendages work and how did they evolve? Ben Hoare reveals all
How do puffins manage to catch so many fish in one go?
Puffins are famed for carrying lots of fish in their mouths but how on Earth do they manage it? Mike Toms explains
Here's why scientists spent three years analysing 100,000 bird songs in an English wood
Bird communities’ songs change and evolve over time due to demographic changes, just like human dialects and musical traditions, according to a fascinating new study, reports Graeme Green
Birdlife more abundant on well-managed solar farms than on arable farmland, finds RSPB study
Researchers recorded nearly three times as many birds on solar farms managed with wildlife in mind as they did on adjacent arable land.
Guide to pigeons and doves in the UK: how to identify them and what's the difference
Five species of pigeon and dove can be found in the UK countryside – three common, two extremely rare. Find out more with our quick-fire guide
Bird's-eye view of London revealed in incredible aerial video
Spectacular footage shows the London cityscape from the perspective of a skein of barnacle geese.
Poetry in motion: elegance and beauty of the starling revealed in mesmerising video
See thousands of shape-shifting birds swirl around Brighton Pier at dusk.
"February is never dull if you’re a great crested grebe" – don't miss their sublime water ballet this month
The great crested grebe's stunning courtship performance culminates with the grebes holding waterweed in their bills and paddling furiously in an upright position parallel to one another, in almost perfect unison. Learn all about this majestic waterbird – including what it looks like, breeding and nesting habitats, UK habitat and distribution – with your expert birder's guide
Spoonbill vs common crane: What's the difference between these leggy and elegant waterbirds?
Do you know your spoonbills from your common crane? Carys McMillan from the Wildlife Trusts.explains the differences between these leggy and elegant waterbirds?
Guide to Britain's geese species: how to identify and where to see
Geese are a familiar sight in the UK's estuaries, marshes and wetlands, particularly in autumn and winter. Learn all about these majestic birds, including identification tips, migration patterns and the best places to see them in the UK.
Starling murmuration guide: why and when they happen and best places to see one in the UK
What is a murmuration and when do they happen? Our expert guide explains the science behind starling murmurations and the best places to see them in the UK.
Guide to tit species in the UK: how to identify and where to see these charismatic birds
Learn more about the different types of tit species in Britain and how to tell them apart with our ID guide, which includes blue tits, great tits, crested tits, willow tits, long-tailed tits, marsh tits and coal tits